Nancy Gruar said she’d leave her 54 Medway St, Box Hill North, home in a box, so why is she selling?

54 Medway St, Box Hill North, goes under the hammer on December 10. It has been home to Nancy Gruar for 86 years.

IT WASN’T so long ago that Nancy Gruar used to say she would leave her Medway St, Box Hill North, home in a box.

It wasn’t an idle boast. One of the suburb’s oldest residents, Nancy has lived at No. 54 for an impressive 86 years.

So it might come as a surprise to hear the three-bedroom weatherboard built more than 100 years ago, and first rented by Mrs Gruar’s parents for a few shillings back in the 1930s, is going to auction on December 10.

Mrs Gruar and her husband bought the home for 1650 pounds back in 1960, and were paying $12.41 per month when Australia switched its currency to the decimal system.

“I used to tell agents I’d be going out in a box,” she said.

94-year-old Nancy Gruar has lived in her Box Hill North house for 86 years. Her and fellow Box Hill North resident, 94-year-old friend Edie Steele, have watched as the suburb changed from the front veranda of Nancy’s classic weatherboard house. Picture: Steve Tanner

In the end it wasn’t a box that moved her. It was her son.

Having lost some of her confidence about the house, and a fter much thought and prayer, Mrs Gruar came to the decision it was time to move on from the spot where she watched as the orchards over the back fence were replaced with homes, sealed roads emerged and, more recently, high-rise towers began to invade the skyline.

“I lost a lot more confidence this year,” Mrs Gruar revealed.

“He (Anthony) was taking time off to help, and his boss was understanding, but you can’t take time off like that these days.”

54 Medway St, Box Hill North, has hosted its share of guests over the past 86 years — but never an auction.

She said while she hoped a buyer willing to renovate and restore the home would emerge rather than someone looking to knock it over, she’d had a wonderful time living there and could cope if it went.

“If it’s got to go, God bless it, because it’s been wonderful to me,” she said.

Mrs Gruar moved out about six or seven weeks ago, though is still in Box Hill at the Uniting AgeWell home.

The house will go under the hammer on December 10 with buyer interest in the mid to high 800,000s, according to Noel Jones Box Hill director Ted Shackleton.

“Nancy and her family have been part of the Box Hill landscape for a long, long time, so it will be interesting to see who wins a part of Box Hill history,” Mr Shackleton said.

And while the dollar value of the house could soar on auction day, Mrs Gruar said her 86 years with the home had been priceless.

“I have just got to be thankful I had so many good years in my place,” Mrs Gruar said.

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